


You Cry

by Nontoxic_Markers



Category: Hyper Light Drifter
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, Mentions of Death, Other, buut if you squint hard enough its there, its not exaactly driftguard, mentions of illness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:49:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27632324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nontoxic_Markers/pseuds/Nontoxic_Markers
Summary: The East and The North have been liberated, and for awhile it was nothing but celebration for the two drifters. On top of these two locales being freed from their own corruption, Drifter and Guardian inched ever closer to their goal of unlocking the secrets of the central underground.. where they believe lies an answer for a cure to their shared illness. After spending a day off in The West, and finding and fixing the warp pad, they both return home.. both noticing Guardians increasingly deteriorating state. Sharing a dinner, and a much needed conversation.
Relationships: The Drifter/The Guardian (Hyper Light Drifter)
Kudos: 6





	You Cry

Forks clinking against plates.. a warm meal, under a soft light. The twilight gleaming out the window.. as the evening said it’s last goodbyes until the next day would arrive. The Drifter and The Guardian sat quietly, finishing the last of their dinners. The air hung heavy with uncertainty and fear.. the expressions of both drifters wrought with worry. They hadn’t shared a word since they had finished preparing dinner.. the next 20 minutes were spent in silence. Neither individual knowing what to say. Guardian sighed quietly.. their lungs still burning and throat still hoarse and the taste of blood in the back of their throat ever persistent. They were lost in thought... as was Drifter.. neither of them could even think of what to say. A stark contrast to the nights they shared mere days ago, when they last had dinner together. It had been a struggle for either of the two to stifle their laughter and joy. The success of the defeat of the Hierophant fresh in their minds. But now... there was no joy.. no laughter... only fear. It made both of them uncomfortable, but Guardian had reached their breaking point. Anything to break the silence.. and they needed to talk to him about this anyways.

“Why did you decide to become a Drifter? If, I may ask..?”

Drifter looked up, a spark in his eye. He would love to go on a long ramble about such a topic, it delighted him. But.. the tense air and the circumstances around it.. made him far less enthusiastic. He motioned for his companion bot, and began to type on the holo-screen it produced.

[I had come from a rather dark and hostile place.. artificial and broken. Upon leaving I saw just how big and beautiful this world truly is. How vast and expansive this world truly is. For as long as I could I wanted to see exactly what it could offer.. what I could learn and so.. the rest is history.]

Drifter gently closed his eyes as he sipped from the glass of water beside his plate. Guardian gave a small smile, invisible under the shadow of their helmet, yet clear as day in their bright teal eyes. 

“That’s beautiful you know.. that curiosity.. that passion.. that drive... to see the world like that.. such a visage you can never get again.”

Guardian chuckled.

“It’s childish in a way.”

Drifter opened his eyes, setting down his glass and continuing to type. 

[Now why do you say that?]

“It’s not bad if that’s what you’re wondering.. it’s good if anything. You can see the world in a way most people only can when they’re children.. a vision of the world no one can ever capture again.... it’s magical.”

Silence returned to the room.. Drifter thinking hard on what to say.. or how to react or respond to such a comment. He cants his head slightly, puzzled. But Guardian merely chuckles, continuing to smile.

“I hope that doesn’t fade.. or even if it does.. I hope you’ll still feel the same enough to keep loving what your doing..”

[I really can’t see why I wouldn’t. Is it not my namesake for a reason?]

“Well of course of course! But.. things can change in the blink of an eye y’know? One thing can be one way and then.. it all flips around. Like reality just flipped a coin.” 

[Reality is always flipping coins.. it’s why the world is the way it is. If anything I wish it’d start cutting that nonsense out..]

“But it won’t. It never will.”

[Of course not. I would not expect it to. But one can wish at least.]

Silence returns. The two have finished eating, but they can’t find the will to stand.. only sit there... lost in thought..

“It’s... scary.. isnt it?”

[Of course. It seems at nearly every turn I can feel Judgement stalking me. I can feel death threatening me at any chance it gets. One day the coin will flip tails... and I’ll be gone.]

“I don’t know what I’d do if you’d gone.”

[I don’t know what I’d do if you were gone either..]

“Heh.. I was hoping maybe you’d have an idea so I could steal it!”

The two shared an awkward laugh.. small and quiet. Guardian removed their helmet, revealing their pink skin and hair.. with their shining teal eyes.. a smile sweetly spread across their face. Drifter smiled back.. tired black eyes looking back at their teal ones. 

[No luck here my friend. The only thing I could say is that I’d just, continue the mission myself. Do what I could.]

“After that..?”

[I don’t know... continue on, try to continue my work. But I don’t know if I could ever get over you.]

“I suppose that’s all we can do.. isn’t it..?”

[Yes. I suppose it is.]

Drifter bit his lip... This conversation was one worth having, death loomed closely above the two. But that hadn’t made it even a little less miserable to discuss. They.. were planning for what would happen if one of them died, and it was likely to happen. Guardian clearly seemed to be getting worse and worse.. and both were becoming more and more desperate. The drifters came from their thoughts, as Guardian placed their hand on Drifters, that same loving smile.. as Drifter started tearing up.

[I’ve seen many wanderers.. many drifters.. some we part ways alive, others... we don’t. It’s always been the same to me. Never would I find myself shedding a tear for a fellow wanderer, and yet. This feels so much different.]

Drifter stops midway through typing.. bowing his head down, trying to hide his face, and then...

“How do I ... handle.. that..?”

His croaky, quiet, weathered voice.. uttered a single question. In response, Guardian stood and went over to hug Drifter tightly.. their own breath shaky and their own eyes flooding with tears. They were so warm.. and soft.. Drifter hesitating before clinging to them. After a few moments, thinking back to when they lost their mother and sibling.. they gave the only answer they could offer..

“You cry... you.. cry..”

And so... they did..

**Author's Note:**

> HOOH- 1 am drabbles amiriiite?? dfsdfgh I hope ya'll like this,,, I was rlly inspired by a scene from The Church of The Midnight Gospel!! It's- rlly sad lol but- it's good!


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